Gohan- Hero of Earth
by salemboy94
Summary: This is a non-profit FanFiction based on the stories by Akira Toriyama. I do not own, nor claim to own rights to any characters, locations, or concepts contained herein. Please support the official release. This AU begins after the end of the Cell games, where Son Gohan becomes Earth's hero. What adventures will come of this? Find out right here! T for violence, blood, swearing.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: COVER PICTURE IS NOT MINE! I STOLE IT FROM CS1futuresasuke ON PHOTOBUCKET! GIVE THE GUY SOME LOVE!

As the Cell Games came to a close, so too did the reign of terror of a mad android. Cell, with all his power, his strength, his perfection, could not defeat Gohan, the son of Goku. However, the cost of victory for Earth's heroes ran fatally high. On the blood-soaked battlefield, as the victors staggered to their feet, the bitter stench of death filled the air. Android 16, Trunks, and ultimately, Goku, all fell prey to the android's malice.

Yet not all hope was lost. With the assistance of the Dragon Balls, our heroes successfully restored to life every person Cell killed. However, Goku refused his resurrection, opting to stay in the next world for fear that his presence would attract even more powerful foes to Earth.

And so it was that the era of Son Goku came to pass, and the era of Son Gohan commenced. Seven years have passed since that fateful day, and peace has reigned over the Earth. And while warriors such as Vegeta, Tienshinhan, and Piccolo stubbornly train for the day that they must thwart evil once again, many of the Z warriors have taken this time of peace to live calm, relaxed lives.  
Our journey continues with Son Gohan off on yet another adventure, one foreign even to the likes of the Saiyan race: he is going to his first day of high school! What mysteries await? What challenges shall unfold before our hero? And, will Gohan be strong enough to face the coming evil? Find out, in this action-packed adventure of epic proportions!

***Author's Notes: This story is an AU retelling of the story of Dragon Ball, splintering from canon at the climax of the Other World Tournament. Multiple key differences between canon and this fanfic should be noted:

The purpose of the Other World Tournament was not to see who would receive training from the Grand Kai, but rather who would serve as the Guardian between Heaven and Hell. For this purpose, Goku won.

Gohan goes to school in West City, instead of Satan City. Additionally, he attends a school styled to that of an actual Japanese school (I'm a weeaboo, sue me) instead of the college-esque schools of the anime.

Videl (and by extension, Pan—thank God) does not exist. Mr. Satan still took credit for the Cell saga. As to whether or not he even has a daughter is still up for debate.

Neither Goten nor Trunks can turn into Super Saiyans (yet, at least).

Almost none of the movies are considered canon, except for the first (and only the first) Broly movie. Because Broly is awesome.

Anything that happens after the Other World Tournament is no longer considered canon. This extends to transformations and characters, as well. Basically, nothing from the Buu saga exists unless it is written in. And we'd all like to forget about GT, anyways.

Other than that, sit back and enjoy.***

Gohan Goes to School! A New Adventure Begins on Peaceful Earth!

"Goodbye, Mom! I'm heading off to school, now!" Gohan leapt into the air and blasted off into the sky.

"Good luck, Gohan!" The teenager could just barely hear his mother's well wishes as he cut through the air with tremendous speed. Within seconds, Gohan quickly and easily broke the sound barrier, and kept speeding up evem as he bolted across the azure sky.

Outside of the most basic of features, such as eye color and hair color, Gohan looked quite dissimilar to the great warrior who had fathered him; His violently untamed hair of years past had been trimmed to a small bush of spikes, with a single bang hanging over his right eye. Instead of the bright orange gi that had become synonymous with the role of Earth's hero, Gohan had donned a simple school uniform, bookbag and all.

Even the boy's destination seemed to be at odds with his predecessor's. At around this same age, Son Goku had been en route to his third Tenkaichi Budokai. It was there that the man had faced and defeated his arch-nemesis, Piccolo Jr. Gohan, on the other hand, found himself en route to a task that Goku would have cowered at the prospect of: education.

For the first time, a member of the Son and Ox lines would attend a state school!

Gohan practically screamed with excitement as he blitzed towards his new life as a scholar. The mountains and seas raced beneath him in a blur of green, blue, brown, and occasionally white. The sun fell rapidly behind Gohan as he blew through time zones, and he as he neared West City, the sun rose once again. The sun had just peeked over the horizon when Gohan caught sight of West City.

He had only been to West City a handful of times in his life, most of them to visit Bulma, Vegeta, and Trunks. Still, he was sure he'd be able to fit into the urban lifestyle fine. Bulma had told him all about life in the city, and he knew he could adapt.

Gohan landed on the outskirts of the city; his mother had told him not to use his powers there, for some reason. So, she had told him to stop and find a bus to get further into the city. He was to look for a bus that would take him to- he read the slip of paper he'd tucked into his pocket- "Wukong Station."

A vibrant smile played across his face as he traipsed the outskirts of the metropolis. The scenery, the smells, the people, they were all so different from what he was used to. The buildings were covered with grime, and these strange cars with flashing red and blue lights kept flying behind other cars. Were they racing? If so, where could he get in on it?

The people were dressed very, very weirdly. The September air was still very nice and warm, but many of the people were dressed like it was winter. But maybe it was for protective purposes? After all, the only time he'd ever worn such dirty clothing was during sparring and fighting.

A young man in such clothing, maybe in his late twenties, stepped in front of Gohan, his face harsh and menacing. "Gimme your money, kid," he growled lowly.

"Hm?" Gohan did not understand at first, but then realization of his situation dawned on him. "Oh! You must be homeless! My mother told me all about you. Here!" He reached into his pocket and procured 2,000 zeni. "Make sure you get yourself something nice to eat!"

The man snatched the money out of Gohan's hands and pointed a knife at the teen. "Gimme the rest you got."

Gohan smiled. "Sorry, sir, but that's all I can spare. I have to catch a bus to school, you see."

"Catching a bus is the last of your worries if you don't give me all the zeni in your pocket!" the crook snarled, jabbing his knife threateningly at Gohan.

"I'm sorry, sir," Gohan chastised, looking down at his watch. "But I can't spare anymore." He started walking past the man, and said, "Have a nice day, though."

The man turned angrily at the boy and swung his knife. "I'll show you a nice day!" The knife swung at the back of Gohan's head and made contact, only for the blade to snap in half on impact.

"Huh?" Gohan turned around and looked confusedly at the man. "Did you see what just touched me? I think a bug landed on me, is it still there?"

"O-oh?" The man yelped, desperately trying to hide both his utter disbelief and broken knife alike behind his back. "N-no, uh, it-it…it flew away! Yeah, that's it! The bug flew away!"

A brief moment passed, where the crook wasn't sure if the teenager would believe his ruse. Then, true to character, Gohan smiled trustingly. "Well," he said. "It was nice meeting you. Goodbye!" He then began walking back towards the city center.

The crook stood there, dumbfounded. That kid was really strong… and really stupid. Still, he'd gotten away with 2,000 zeni. He sighed. But before he could muse any more, he was thrown out of his thoughts by that same kid's voice.

"Mister?" Gohan yelled from several meters away. "What's you're name?"

The man stammered violently as he answered, "R-r-Rubio!"

"Well, Rubio, I'm Son Gohan! Nice to meet you!" And with that, the boy took off at human-paced jog towards the closest bus stop.

Rubio, still dumbfounded by the events that had just transpired, merely shook his head and muttered, "Stupid kid."

It took a little while, but Gohan finally found the bus stop. He used half of his remaining Zeni to pay for the bus, and sat comfortably somewhere in the middle, at a window seat. He looked excitedly out the window as the bus rolled forward. In the years since he had last been to West City it had certainly grown. People of all shapes, sizes, and colors roamed the streets, and the buildings themselves mirrored the people. He saw tall buildings, domes, hotels, pools, and more as the bus rolled merrily along.

The time passed quickly for the teenager, and before he knew it, the bus driver called out for his stop, Wukong Station. Gohan quickly and happily leapt from his seat, booksack in tow, and stepped out into the whole new world of West city. Cars zoomed by on the streets, propelled by the very same technology which Bulma's father had developed.

Speaking of Bulma, Gohan wondered if he would have enough time to go pay her a visit before he got to school. He looked down at his watch, and jumped a little as he realized he only had five minutes before he was late to his first day of school. Gohan took off in the school's direction as fast as he dared; despite his haste, he still remembered his mother's admonition of discretion. No matter what, he was not to reveal his powers to anybody.

Gohan reached the school building just as the bell began to ring to start the day. "Crap!" he exclaimed. In a moment of desperation, the boy looked around and, seeing no one, bolted up to the school as fast as he could. He stopped short of the door of his classroom, 3-B, and quickly adjusted his school uniform. Then, as the final bell tone sounded, Gohan entered the classroom and began his first day of school.


	2. Chapter 2

The Bell Rings! Gohan Begins School!

Vivian stared lazily out the window, her eye glazed with boredom. "I can't believe I'm back here," she groaned silently. On her right, the seat had been left vacant, just like every other year. Vivian had long since forsaken any hope of the seat being occupied.

Of course, she did not blame the others for leaving the seat empty. Having to look at her each day must be a truly nauseating experience. She wryly wondered how the teachers this year would avoid looking at her. In years past, some of the teachers had spent their entire lecture just writing on the board, refusing to look backwards. Some had been a little more obvious, looking at everybody in the room but her. Others still had not been afraid of addressing the elephant in the room, and asked her to sit with her right side facing the front. Vivian had always complied. Even still, she complied

While Vivian's right side maintained the appearance of a normal girl- a pretty one at that, with a braided, green rope of hair down the side and blazingly blue eyes-, her left side told a different story. The entirety of her left body, from her face to her foot, was a blackened and shriveled burn. Her left eye was missing from her socket, if she even had a socket- one patch of burn was near-impossible to distinguish from the rest.

The burn was made worse by Vivian's growth over the years. The broken, dead flesh cracked and chipped to reveal bloody red tissue underneath where her skin could not maintain surface tension and fell apart. The sight often disgusted even the most experienced of doctors, and it revolted anybody else who'd seen it. And so, with that in mind, Vivian continued to look out the window with an air of resignation, not wishing to be a disturbance to the class.

Then, movement caught her eye. Down in the courtyard, just past the entrance to the school, Vivian saw a male student bolting onto the grounds, even as the bell began to ring. The boy was obviously flustered at running late. She turned her remaining eye to look up at the chalkboard without moving her face- a talent she picked up for her peers' sakes-, as the teacher came in on the second chime with his instructional materials tucked under his arms.

Vivian recognized him as Kuaka Sensei. He had been the one her first year to recommend that she turn away from the front so he could teach the class. In any other circumstance, it would have been cruel, but at least he looked at her good side instead of not at all.

Then, as the last chime came from the bell, the door opened and in walked the very same student Vivian had seen in the courtyard. Silence lingered over the class as they all looked quizzically at the new student. His features, while not wholly ravishing, certainly demanded some attention- the occasional scar on his face did little to tarnish his looks. Rather, it accented his already attractive face.

"Good morning, everybody," the boy bowed to the class. "My name is Son Gohan. It is an honor to meet each and every one of you. I hope that I can prove myself worthy of your companionship and perform to the very best of my abilities."

Many of the students scratched their heads at the formality with which Gohan introduced himself. Even Kuaka Sensei seemed taken aback. It took him a moment before he responded, "Welcome, Son-kun. I am your teacher, Kuaka Dakku." He motioned to the class. "Why don't you tell us a little more about yourself, and then take a seat somewhere in class."

"Yes, Sensei," Gohan responded before turning to the class and addressing them. "I am seventeen years old. I have spent most of my life living on Mt. Paozu with my mother. I enjoy reading, writing, and studying. I hope to one day become a great scholar. I currently live with my aunt in West City. "

Vivian eyed him cautiously. The boy's over-formality and overbearing smile seemed remarkably fake to her. Like it was recited.

Gohan sighed inwardly as he finished his speech just the way he had practiced with mom. Not a thing out of the ordinary, perfect for a normal teenager.

"Hey," one of the students called out. "What's your favorite music?"

_Crap._ Gohan smiled falsely. _Music?_ "Uh, let's see. I like Beethoven, Bach, Handel, Stravinsky, etcetera. You know, just normal stuff."

The class laughed in a shaky manner, unsure if he was serious or not. The same student, the one with short blond hair in a buzz cut, called out, "Seriously, though. What's your favorite music?"

Gohan balked, desperately filtering through any and all knowledge he had for a song, but all that came up were martial arts and calculus. For a good moment and a half, the teenager stared, his brain working furiously in search of a memory of a contemporary song.

Kuaka Sensei leaned forward and waved his hand in front of Gohan's face. "Son-kun?"

At that same moment, a song came to mind- the only song Gohan could think of that wasn't at least eighty years old, and he blurted it out full force: "MY FAVORITE SONG IS 'ROCK THE DRAGON' BY SHUKI LEVI!"

The teacher almost fell over backwards as the Gohan yelled his answer with ferocity. The force with which the teenager answered actually _shook_ the window panes of the room. The entire class sat silently, taken aback by Gohan's enthusiasm.

And then they burst out laughing. "Very funny, Son-kun," one of the students exclaimed. "Wow, you had us for a second," another exclaimed.

Kuaka, however, did not seem nearly so amused. "Gohan, you might think you're funny," he snapped. "But you just wasted our time. If you don't want to say what your favorite song is, then just take a seat."

"B-but-"

"SIT!"

Baffled by his suddenly rude dismissal (after all, what was wrong with Rock the Dragon?), Gohan walked dejectedly down the row of desks to the back, to the seat next to Vivian. Gohan nearly sat down when Kuaka Sensei called him. "Gohan?"

Gohan looked up at the teacher. "Yes, Sensei?"

"Are you sure you want to sit there?"

Gohan stared at Kuaka perplexedly. "Is there a reason not to?"

"Uh-ah- um… no," the teacher consigned. "Just, if you decide to change your mind… you can."

Gohan shrugged and- still smiling the big, goofy smile he'd inherited from his father- sat nonchalantly at the desk next to Vivian. Before he could begin introductions with her, or with the person on his right, Kuaka Sensei began lecturing.


	3. Chapter 3

The Girl with Half a Face! Gohan Makes a Friend!

Class passed quietly without incident. Gohan, too focused on note-taking and studying, had no time to actually get to know any of his classmates; he didn't even notice initially furtive and eventually blatant stares and glances at him. He was the odd ball, and his classmates were curious.

Finally, Kuaka Sensei broke from his lecture. "Any questions?" he asked, perceiving the answer immediately: the students wanted him gone so that they could interrogate the newbie. "Very well, then. I will see you at the end of the day." With that, their home room teacher exited.

Immediately, all eyes turned to Gohan, waiting for him to say anything or make a move. The new student, oblivious to their stares, quietly packed away his notebook and stood. He cracked his back, the vertebrae popping multiple times before he finished. Then, silently and without ceremony, he turned to his left and bowed towards Vivian.

"Nice to meet you," he said in the same formal tone of voice his mother had instructed him with. "My name is Son Gohan. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, and hope that we can be good neighbors. May I ask your name, please?"

_What is with this guy?_ Vivian couldn't put her finger on it. The formality he presented himself with… it felt so unnatural, like this horrible act. Without looking at him, or even turning to look forward, Vivian answered, "My name is Mikki Vivian. It's nice to meet you, Son-Kun."

Gohan straightened up. "If you wouldn't mind, could you turn to face me? I would very much like to attach a face to your name, Mikki-Senpai. I mean," he chuckled, his voice rising to that almost awkward playfulness that he also inherited from his father. "I guess I could just remember you by your hair, but plenty of women have a braid in their hair."

Vivian sighed. No point in waiting if he was eventually going to see it anyways. Slowly, she turned her head forwards. As she did so, she could see the movements out of the corner of her eye as her classmates turned away from her. She didn't mind. She understood.

Vivian's eye met Gohan's well before the left side of her face was revealed. He was beaming at her, that same, stupid smile he had donned since he'd gotten there. _Would he just give it a rest? Nobody is THAT happy!_ Vivian secretly decided that she was glad she was showing her burnt face to him. It would wipe that stupid smile right off of his.

And then, nothing. Vivian turned to face him entirely, exposing her wretched, scarred half, and he _kept smiling_. He didn't even flinch, didn't lose a blink. Instead, he said, "See? Now I know who to look for when people say Ikki Vivian."

Vivian had to fight back tears, and she succeeded. It hadn't been the first time somebody had almost made her cry. She'd tired of crying years ago. But, there was something different about this boy. His smile, which up until then had seemed so fake and so stupid, suddenly seemed- and she had no other way to put this- sincere. Son Gohan was really that nice of a guy.

She stood from her seat and bowed to him. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Son-kun."

"And it is a pleasure to meet you as well, Ikki-senpai. Now, if you'll excuse me." He turned around and faced the student seated to his right. "Good morning," he spoke, bowing in the same formal greeting to his classmate. "My name is…"

As the boy continued speaking Vivian turned back to look out the window. For the moment, she had forgotten the question of how he had moved so quickly in the courtyard, and instead focused on the kindness and politeness the teenager expressed.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Other World, Goku was busy with his new job as Guardian of Heaven and Hell. With all the new fighters and warriors dying all over the place, from Frieza and his ilk to Cell to Broly, the Grand Kai had decided that a warrior was necessary to maintain a balance between Heven and Hell, lest Hell overrun even King Yemma and assault Heaven.

And Goku performed his job dutifully, if not excitedly. Even if this was supposed to be, "one of the most serious and honorable duties the Kais have ever bestowed" (as spoken by the Grand Kai), Goku couldn't contain himself. With Cell, Frieza, and Broly causing a miniature apocalypse every other week, Goku found himself growing by leaps and bounds. After only his first three years on the job, Goku had far outstripped Pikkon, the same man-alien-Namekian-thing that had almost defeated him at the Other World tournament.

Seven years had passed since his death, and when he wasn't on call as Guardian, Goku commonly found himself relaxing with King Kai in heaven (seeing as how Cell had destroyed King Kai's planet). He spent a good portion of his time with King Kai, using his former master as a way to watch over his friends and family. Even as Gohan began his first day of school, Goku watched with great attentiveness, his hand placed firmly on the Kai's back.

"You know, King Kai, I'm kind of jealous of Gohan," he told the God.

"Oh, really?"

"Yep." Goku replied. "I wasn't nearly as smart or nearly as strong as Gohan is at the same age."

King Kai looked up briefly at his former pupil. "I guess you could say you were only worth half a lunch!" He cowed, snorting hysterically at his own joke.

"Huh?" Goku queried. "I don't get it."

King Kai rolled both his eyes and antenna. "You know, Goku, you disappoint me. I bet your son has a better sense of humor than you, too."

"Hey!" Goku exclaimed. "That's not fair! You just don't tell funny jokes!"

At hearing Goku's remark, King Kai slipped and fell flat on his face, breaking the connection. "King Kai," Goku complained. "Why did you do that? Gohan was just talking to that girl!"

"Well, maybe if _somebody_ learned how to do this himself, we wouldn't have this problem," King Kai snapped, still laid down in a very unflattering position. "Now help me up!" Goku did as asked while King Kai muttered angrily about a lack of respect for his master.

However, before the Kai could regain his footing, Goku dropped him again. "Damn it, Goku! Help me up!"

He looked up to see Goku staring happily into space. "Sorry, King Kai," the Saiyan said, putting his index and middle fingers to his forehead. "Grand Kai's calling. Says I need to calm down Broly again." And with that, Goku teleported away.

Left in his unflattering state, King Kai called out for help. "Bubbles?" No response. "Gregory?" Still no response. After several moments, he called out loudly. "Damn it, Grand Kai! You did this on purpose, didn't you!"

An old, all-encompassing voice filled King Kai's ears, replying, "Hell yeah, brother!"

* * *

Gohan's first day of school drew quietly to a close. He had spent all of his breaks between lectures introducing himself to his classmates, using the same formal manner his mother had taught him. During lunch, he had eaten the bento his mother had packed for him with a prim properness unbeknownst by the Saiyan race.

Still, prim properness did not make up for quantity; Gohan's stomach rumbled violently with hunger as the final bell toned. While his mother's bento had nestled his tastebuds with its soft, savory taste, it had done little satiate the craving hunger that he and the rest of the Saiyan race were prone to.

_Mom could have at least given me a half- or even a quarter- of a senzu, _he complained silently as he packed his bag. Gohan's stomach growled again, and he rubbed his belly gingerly. "Ugh," he groaned. "I need food." _Maybe I can visit Bulma's place before heading home and grab something to eat,_ he wondered. Shrugging, he concluded, _Well it can't hurt to try._

* * *

The Prince of all Saiyans found himself in a bind. Directly in front of him stood a very irate and very angry Bulma. Her face, while normally quite beautiful, had somehow morphed into to something incredibly terrifying- something so much more incomprehensibly scary than her normal form.

_God, she's just like Zarbon,_ Vegeta realized. _A small, human, heterosexual Zarbon._

"I make the food, I clean the house, I do your _laundry_," his wife roared. "The least you could do is take Trunks to an amusement park!"

"I-I," Vegeta stuttered. _How do I deal with this? I can't kill this Zarbon._

"Well," Bulma crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the ground impatiently. "What are you waiting for? Get hopping, mister!"

_I am the Prince of all Saiyans! I should not have to stand for this! I-_

"Vegeta, this is your _last_ warning," Bulma glared at him. "You are going to take Trunks to the amusement park."

"A-alright!" the Saiyan conceded. Somehow, this human woman terrified him more than any foe he'd ever faced. He just didn't understand it. He could literally just flick her off the face of the planet, and yet he cowered in fear at her wrath. _What has become of me, that I am humbled by a mere cow?_ He could not comprehend it.

"Trunks!" Vegeta called for his son. "Get ready. We're going to," and as he spoke, he tried to almost whisper the last part, as if he were defeated by a great and terrible monster, "Dragon Land…"

"Woohoo!" Trunks cheered as he bolted in from the other room. "Thanks, mom! Now let's go, Dad! Let's go!" He tugged excitedly on his father's arm.

Vegeta moved with grudging half steps towards the door with his son. _God damn this world and their damn amusement parks._ And then he realized, _The damn child played me! He got his mother to do the dirty work for him._ Then, even as Vegeta planned his act of revenge for the child's devious plot, he opened the front door and saw a strangely familiar figure standing just outside, hand raised and ready to knock.

"Goha-" Trunks began to exclaim, only to have Vegeta quickly gag him.

"Take the child," Vegeta menaced.

Gohan, still half-starved, stared uncomprehendingly at Vegeta. "W-wha?" he managed.

"As your Prince and your ruler, I demand you take this damn runt to an amusement park," the Saiyan demanded.

"B-but,"

Vegeta leaned in close and whispered threateningly in Gohan's ear, "If you do not take Trunks to Dragon Land, I will have to go, and if I have to go, somebody will annoy me, and if somebody goddamn annoys me, I will rip the head off of every child in the vicinity." He practically threw Trunks at Gohan. "Now take the damn thing and have fun!" he commanded as he slammed the door shut.

Bulma, who had previously gone into the other room, popped her head through the door way and called to Vegeta, "Who was that?"

Vegeta secretly prayed to some Monkey God somewhere in thanks for his respite. "Oh, that?" he said. "That was Kakarot's runt. He said he'd be happy to take Trunks to Dragon Land."

"Oh, that was nice of him."


	4. Chapter 4

***Author's note: Sorry if the quality of this chapter is a bit poor. I'm recovering from surgery, and my painkillers make it difficult to think. I hope you enjoy it. PS: Thanks to everyone who reviewed my first three chapters! I really appreciate it! I hope I can improve and tell a story you all find enjoyable!***

Gohan Spars with the Prince of All Saiyans! Who Will Win?

Gohan's stomach grumbled for the umpteenth time as he trudged back to the Capsule Corp building, carrying a sleeping Trunks piggy back. It had been a long afternoon, and night had already fallen over West City. _I still don't understand how Vegeta suckered me into this_, the teen lamented. _You'd think I'd have stopped being scared of him years ago._

He knocked on the door. _After all, am I not the strongest in the universe, now? I defeated Cell, after all, and my dad couldn't even do that._ As the door opened, opened Gohan came to the conclusion that, "By Shenron's whiskers! I deserve some respect!"

Gohan immediately regretted his outburst, for the one who opened the door was none other than Vegeta, himself. "What's that about deserving respect, you half-Saiyan whelp?" the Prince growled.

"N-nothing, Vegeta," Gohan cowered. Then, remembering the resolve which had previously empowered him to have his outburst in the first place, Gohan corrected himself. "Actually-"

"Actually, what?" Vegeta cut him off. Never one for patience, he gave Gohan only a split second to respond. "Well, out with it, runt!"

Gohan tossed Trunks at the boy's father. Vegeta, the unfeeling Saiyan Prince he was, merely side-stepped and let the boy crash into the living room of his home.

"Owwwwww," they heard Trunks groan from the room.

"First off," Gohan began. "I am NOT your babysitter. Trunks is _your_ responsibility. I already have a half-saiyan sibling to take care of! His name is Goten, not Trunks! Secondly, you are not my ruler! I am…"

As Gohan continued his tirade, complaining about all the mistreatment he had suffered at Vegeta's hands dating all the way back to the Saiyan arrival when he was but a child, Vegeta's expression slowly changed from his harsh, angry exterior, to a malicious, overly pleased smile. _Is this actually happening?_ He thought. _Oh my god, it is! Kakarot's boy is getting froggy with me!_

"…and for the record, _I_ killed Cell and achieved Super Saiyan 2! Not you!" Gohan, at the end of his tirade, took a deep breath. "Well?" he breathed out. "Am I going to get some respect from you, or what?!"

_I can't kill Bulma when she bitches at me. Hell, I can't even touch her. But Kakarot's son…_ Vegeta's smile became ever more twisted. _Kakarot's son is an adult now. He's fair game._

"Veg-"

"Well, Gohan!" Vegeta's demeanor completely changed, becoming suddenly warm and fatherly in a manner he'd never, ever expressed towards Trunks. "You have made a very considerable point. You're a man, now!" He punched the half-saiyan playfully in the arm. "You deserve some respect! So," and though he tried, he could not keep the excitement from his voice, "Let's see exactly how much respect you deserve."

"My thoughts exactly!" Gohan exclaimed. "I'm so glad that we could have this discussion. Now, if you'll excu- Vegeta, why are you smiling like that?"

_38 degrees altitude, 7 degrees southeast. 480,000 kilometers per second. Approximate recovery rate: .00019 seconds. Let's knock this bitch out of the ball park.  
_Gohan peered confusedly at the older man. "Veget-Uaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!" Vegeta roared in delight as he kicked Gohan with enough force to move a planet. The teenager went flying at multiple times faster than mach speed right out of the city.

"Trunks!" Vegeta called roughly.

"Yeah, Dad?" Trunks walked dazedly to the front door with a small bump on his head.

Vegeta powered up to Super Saiyan, unable to contain his excitement. "Tell your mother I'm going to go relieve myself ALL over Kakarot's son." And then he blasted off into the sky after Gohan.

It took a moment (relatively speaking- to us, it would have been instantaneous) before Gohan's years of training took over and he stopped himself. He flipped himself over and abruptly stopped his rapid trajectory, which would have eventually taken him right out of the Earth's atmosphere. He quickly gained his bearings as he rubbed his chin gingerly. "Ow," he grunted. "What was that for?"

Off in the distance, he could see West City, a small little prick of light just barely pronouncing itself in the night. Below him stretched miles and miles of forest with patches of farmland in between.

Gohan felt Vegeta's power level catapulting towards him at a rapid rate. _Damn… what did I just get myself into?_ Before he had the chance to fully comprehend his situation, however, Vegeta was there, floating directly in front of him, in full-powered Super Saiyan form.

"Vegeta, I didn't say I wanted to fight," Gohan tried explaining. "I just wanted some-"

"Shut up!" Vegeta interrupted him. "It's been three months, THREE MONTHS since I last kicked somebody's ass. Do you have _any_ idea how pent up I am? Three months with Bulma and her runt wearing on my very last nerves! I can't even have _sex_ anymore! Bulma won't allow it with Trunks in the house, and the damn child is homeschooled! So, I've been waiting three months for some idiot to come along and give me an excuse to beat the shit out of them! And guess what, Gohan?" An evil gleam shone in his eye. "I am so damn happy you happened to be that idiot!" He beat his chest! "You want some respect? Come and get it!"

Gohan stood there, dumbfounded, and then a disgusted look came over his face. "Wait a second. You're using me to get out your sexual tension?"

"Just shut up and fight me, dammit!" Vegeta screamed, tearing straight towards Gohan.

* * *

(Meanwhile, at Capsule Corp)

"YOUR FATHER SAID WHAT?!" Bulma bolted straight up out of bed.

"He said he was going to go relieve himself all over Gohan," Trunks answered innocently. "I think he means he was going to fight him, because he went Super Saiyan."

Bulma growled as she pulled on a jacket. "That'd better be what he means."

"Huh?" Trunks looked up at his mom. "What else could it mean?"

"Nothing, Trunks," Bulma said quickly as she grabbed a plane capsule. "Go to bed. Mommy and Daddy will be back later."

"But mom-"

"No buts!" Bulma glared at him. "You go to bed right now, Mister. Is this the thanks I get for letting you go to Dragon Land?"

"But-"

Bulma grabbed him by the cheeks and looked him piercingly in the eyes. "Trunks, if you are not in bed when I get back, I will use my Dragon Radar to find the Dragon Balls, have Shenron rise up from the ground, and wish for him to beat your ass so hard that the entire Saiyan race feels it." Deep down in Hell, an entire race of aliens sneezed violently.

With fear in his eyes, Trunks nodded.

"That's a good little boy!" Bulma said, magically regaining her cheerful demeanor. "I'll see you in the morning."

And then she went out the front door.

* * *

Gohan had no choice. In the split second he had before Vegeta reached him, Gohan realized that his opponent wasn't going to hold back. The man was already Super Saiyan, for crying out loud! _Well,_ Gohan decided. _If this is how I must earn respect, then so be it!_

Gohan powered up to Super Saiyan and raised his left arm to block a kick aimed for his head. They heavy kick made a tough impact, and Gohan could feel his arm waver slightly beneath the weight. A thunder-clap boomed out in all directions from the impact, a shockwave bending the very trees in the immediate area beneath them.

Gohan grunted. Vegeta wasn't playing around. The teen spun around, parrying Vegeta's leg past him, and jabbed an elbow at the Prince's head. Vegeta, in turn, propelled himself downwards slightly to dodge the elbow. Then, he blasted upwards with his fist extended. The upper-cut connected cleanly with Gohan's chin and sent the warrior flying upwards.

Before Gohan could recover, however, Vegeta had appeared in his trajectory and slammed him downwards with a double hammer fist. Gohan careened earthwards, spiraling towards the ground before recovering.

The boy channeled ki into his hands and fired several ki shots at Vegeta, all of which the Saiyan Prince dodged with ease. At the same time, Vegeta charged ki into his right hand and, after dodging all of Gohan's blasts, appeared right in front of the half-saiyan, his hand directly in front of Gohan's face.

Vegeta's blast sent Gohan crashing into a nearby mountain. Gohan stumbled haphazardly out of the rubble, blood gushing from a cut over his right eye. "Damn it," he spat. "Why can't I keep up with him?"

Vegeta appeared directly in front of him with an answer. "You haven't been training," he snarled as he unloaded a vicious punch into Gohan's abdomen.

The young half-saiyan doubled over and coughed up a large amount of blood. His hair, which had previously risen up a bright gold, now fell flat around his face, back to its usual jet black.

"How pathetic," Vegeta said. "How dare you call yourself the son of Kakarot? I'm not even trying, and I've beaten you to a pulp. You are a shame to your father's name, and to the Saiyan race."

"I-I'm just hungry," Gohan stammered, struggling to keep back his tears. "I haven't eaten all day."

"Only weaklings make excuses!" Vegeta roared. "Is that what you are, you worthless whelp? A weakling?"

"I-I am-m not a _weakling_." Gohan slowly rose to his feet. "I am Son Gohan, the son of Goku."

Vegeta raised his right hand angrily. "You have no right to use Kakarot's name!"

However, before he could strike Gohan, a hand- strong and firm- grasped his wrist and stopped him from harming the boy anymore.

"That's enough," Piccolo said bluntly, his hand in a vice-grip around Vegeta's wrist. "The boy can barely stand."

"This is none of your business, Namekian," Vegeta snarled as he ripped his arm from Piccolo's grasp.

Piccolo's usually cold, unfeeling demeanor crumbled slightly- Vegeta could just barely sense the anger radiating off of the man. "If you lay another hand on my pupil, it will become my business."

"Fine, then," Vegeta conceded. "I had my fun. Take the brat." He powered down to his regular saiyan form. "But just remember: he wanted this." Then he took off back towards West City.

Gohan collapsed as soon as Vegeta left, his breathing heavy and labored. "Thanks, Piccolo," he grunted. "You just saved me big time."

Piccolo bent down and draped Gohan's arm around his neck. "Let's get you home, Gohan. Chi Chi is probably losing her mind right now."

Gohan used what little ki he had left to try to support himself as they flew through the night sky. "Yeah, she's going to kill me when she finds out."

Piccolo grunted in agreement. "I won't be saving you from her, though. You're on your own with that."

Gohan groaned anxiously. "Then what was point of saving me from Vegeta?"

"So your mom wouldn't kill me, either."

"Haha- ow." Gohan clutched his chest. "Dang, he got me good. It hurts just to laugh. Haha-ow."

The two flew in silence. What Piccolo had to say, Gohan had already realized. Vegeta hadn't just beaten Gohan- he had obliterated him. Gohan had been incorrect in assuming that Vegeta would have gone full force. The Saiyan Prince had held back and still defeated the teenager with ease. _I don't deserve respect from him_, Gohan lamented. _He has every right to treat me the way he has. Look at me. I defeated Cell, and I thought that was good enough... But it's not._

"Piccolo?" Gohan asked his former mentor.

"What is it, Gohan?" Piccolo, in his usual, blunt manner, answered.

"Vegeta... his power level..."

"It was as low as Cell's in his Imperfect Form."

"So, he..."

"Could have killed you with ease, yes."

* * *

The next morning, as the sun rose over West City, Rubio made his usual route on the outskirts. Ever since he'd met that Gohan kid the day before, he hadn't been able to shake the paranoia which had set over him. That somebody like Gohan even existed freaked Rubio out. He had retired that night with only the 2,000 zeni the teenager had _willingly_ given him- as charity!

Now, every person Rubio saw, who he previously would have mugged without second thought, made him think twice about his career. He had no way of knowing if there were any others like Gohan, and if there were, he doubted they would be nearly as kind (or as stupid) as the boy. One day, he could go decide to mug a sixty year old man, only for the sixty year old man to pummel him into the ground. Rubio shuddered at the thought as he gave up on yet another mark. _Why am I so shook up by this kid?_

Then, as if some God (probably of monkey origin) had been listening, up trotted the very same teenager Rubio had tried to mug. Gohan was walking slowly up the street, taking the same route as before. But, Rubio noticed, Gohan looked different. His demeanor had completely changed and- _Oh my god, are those bandages on his head? _That same unbreakable, smiling teenager from before now walked up with a black eye and bandages around his head. His smile seemed almost non-existent, and his eyes stayed glue to the ground.

"G-Gohan?" Rubio uttered in disbelief. "What happened to you?"

Gohan, shaken from his stupor, looked up at Rubio and smiled- and aside from the bandages, he looked exactly as he had before. "Oh, this?" he laughed, referring to his bandages. "Oh, I got into a fight with my uncle yesterday. No big deal. How are you, Rubio?"

_No big deal?_ Rubio guffawed. _What IS a big deal to him, then. And his uncle? So there ARE more people like him? Oh, dear god!_ Even in his state of of exasperation, Rubio still managed a reply, "Oh, I'm good. Just doing my morning routes."

"Oh, for your job?" Gohan's demeanor was exactly the same as the day before. It was like he was used to being bandaged up.

_What kind of monster is this kid, that he just shrugs off heavy bandaging like it's nothing?_ "Yeah," Rubio half-answered. "Something like that." Rubio fell in step with the kid as he passed. "So, where ya headed to, Gohan?"

"School!" Gohan answered cheerfully. "Today's my second day. Up until now, I've been home schooled."

For some reason, that didn't surprise Rubio. "So, why West City of all places?"

"My aunt and her husband live here."

"The same husband who gave you those bandages?"

"Hahaha," Gohan laughed. "Yep. He gave me a good walloping last night. I could hardly move."

The way with which Gohan said it so nonchalantly left Rubio dumbfounded. Did nothing phase this kid? "Shouldn't you, you know..."

Gohan looked at him with a blank expression. "Shouldn't I what?"

"Report him to the police or something?"

Gohan stopped dead in his tracks and doubled over with laughter. "That's real funny, Rubio." he gasped. "That's real funny."

The half-saiyan's friend crossed his arms, annoyed. "And why's that funny?"

"I'm not going to report Vegeta over a few cuts and bruises." He continued walking to the bus stop. "I mean, nah, this is nothing." When the pair finally reached the bus stop, they sat down at the bench. The bus would be there shortly. "Compared to some of the stuff I've been through? He went easy on me. Hehehehehe. I mean, I remember when I fought Recoome, once. The guy literally snapped my neck."

If ever there was a red flag being raised in Rubio's mind, this was it. The kid had just admitted having his neck broken before like it was nothing. And the bandages- which, by the way, were soaked in blood- were _nothing?_ Rubio couldn't take it anymore. "Ok, kid. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Gohan seemed taken aback. "W-what do you mean?"

Rubio stood up and pointed at him. "Seriously, what are you? People don't just show up in bandages and call it nothing! They don't just say, 'Oh, somebody snapped my neck when I was younger.' It's just not right! And yesterday, when I tried to cut you with my knife, why the hell did my knife **break**?!"

Gohan's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as he suddenly realized that Rubio knew he wasn't normal. _Crap, _he swore. _Mom told me to not have people realize I have powers. I thought I was doing really well, too!_

"Well?" Rubio almost screamed, panicked at the boy's weirdness.

At that very moment, the bus rolled up in front of the stop. Gohan, unable to think of a solution, hopped on the bus and replied, "Just go to Wukong High School at three today! I'll explain later! Bye!" As the doors to the bus closed and the bus began moving, Gohan moved to a seat on the bus. In his head, all he could think was, _Crap. What do I do now?_


End file.
